Which units count
Under the rule the nurse is following, only two kinds of units are counted toward the 15 CPD credit units needed: units from programs accredited by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), and units awarded by the CPD Council on application. Units that a hospital lists for an activity that is neither accredited nor awarded do not count. Recognized units = 6 + 4 + 2 = 12, so the nurse still needs 15 − 12 = 3 units.
Activity-by-activity review
Sorting each activity by its status makes the calculation straightforward.
| Activity | Status | Units counted |
|---|
| 2-day seminar on fracture care | Accredited program | 6 |
| Online course on eye care | Accredited program | 4 |
| Hospital in-service on a traction frame | Not accredited; no application filed | 0 |
| International webinar | Not accredited; units awarded by CPD Council after application | 2 |
| Total recognized | | 12 |
| Still needed | 15 − 12 | 3 |
Where the wrong answers come from
0 units results from adding all four activities (6 + 4 + 3 + 2 = 15) and counting the in-service. 2 units results from counting the in-service but not the webinar (6 + 4 + 3 = 13). 5 units results from counting only the two accredited programs (10) and leaving out the 2 units the CPD Council awarded. Watch out! The webinar and the in-service are both "not accredited," but they differ in one critical way: the nurse applied for the webinar and the CPD Council awarded units, while no application was filed for the in-service. Units listed by a hospital on its own do not make an activity recognized.
Practical lessons for CPD planning
Before attending, the nurse should check whether a program is accredited. For valuable learning that is not accredited, such as foreign webinars or self-directed study, the nurse can apply to the CPD Council for credit, keeping certificates and proof of attendance. Units are monitored through the PRC's CPD system, so records should be complete and uploaded before the renewal deadline. With 5 months left before the PIC expires, the nurse has time to earn the remaining 3 units, ideally in orthopedic care to support the resource nurse goal.
Exam takeaway
Key point! Count only units from accredited programs or units awarded on application. A non-accredited activity without an approved application earns no recognized units, whatever the organizer lists.